Guide to Cultures

There is a large variety of cultures used in producing cheese and other dairy products such as buttermilk and yogurt. Refer to the following chart for a general guideline as to what cultures are used for which dairy product.

* A "series" is a set of cultures that work and function interchangeably. The purpose of offering a series is to help prevent bacteriophage, also known as "phage," a problem sometimes experienced by commercial-level producers of dairy products. Home or hobby cheesemakers usually do not have problems with bacteriophage and can use any cultures within a series with very similar results.

** Many culture blends can be used for multiple cheese types -- personal preference is a factor. Consult your recipe or feel free to contact us to discuss which culture(s) we might recommend for your specific application.